Review of The Godfather (1972) by Edward C — 15 Sep 2016

The Godfather(1972).

Starring: Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Richard S. Castellano, Robert Duvall, Sterling Hayden, John Marley, Richard Conte, Diane Keaton, Al Lettieri, Abe Vigoda, Talia Shire, Al Martino, Gianni Russo, John Cazale, Morgana King, Lenny Montana, Richard Bright, Alex Rocco, Vito Scotti, Julie Gregg, Simonetta Stefanelli, Jeannie Linero, John Martino, Corrado Gaipa, Franco Citti, and Saro Urzì.

Directed By: Francis Ford Coppola.

Review.

An offer you can't refuse.

You know like the Jurassic Park movies whenever I would tell any who saw The Godfather that I loved movies but never saw The Godfather, they would say to me "what is wrong with you?" It took me forever to get to this film because I've been wanting to watch this for a while and I've seen Citizen Kane before this movie. But finally I've seen it and I like it more then Citizen Kane.

The story spans the years from 1945 to 1955 and chronicles the fictional Italian-American Corleone crime family. When organized crime family patriarch Vito Corleone barely survives an attempt on his life, his youngest son, Michael, steps in to take care of the would-be killers, launching a campaign of bloody revenge.

The Godfather(1972) is told entirely within a closed world. That's why we sympathize with characters who are essentially evil. The story by Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coopola is a brilliant conjuring act, inviting us to consider the Mafai entirely on its own terms. Don Vito Corleone(Marlon Brando) emerges as a sympathetic and even admirable character, during the entire film his life-long professional criminal does nothing that, in context, we can really disapprove of. We see not a single actual civilian victim of organized crime. No women trapped in prostitution. No lives wrecked by gambling. No victims of theft, fraud, or protection rackets. The only police officer with a significant speaking is corrupt.

The story views Mafia from the inside. That is its secret, its charm, its spell, in a way its shaped the public perception of Mafia ever since. The real world is replaced by an authoritarian patriarchy where power and justice flow from the Godfather, and the only villain's are traitors. There is one commandment, spoken by Michael(Al Pacino): "Don't ever take sides against family.".

It is significant that the first shot is inside a dark, shuttered room. It is the wedding day of Vito Corleone's daughter, and on such a day a Sicilian must grant any responsible request. A man has come to ask for punishment for his daughter's rapist. Don Vito asks why he did not come to him immediately.

This is indeed up their with one of the best films of all time and I loved this film. I'm giving The Godfather a five out of five.